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Savion
01-15-2007, 04:16 PM
The article on Jewish vampires mentioned the female, as did I in a post. Perusing my notes and files on lore the following is but a snippet of information. I will add to it as I recover more of my files.

The female vampire seemed a consistant source of legend. My own theory is stated in the Jewish thread. The female is a source of weakness for men, but rather than admit that weakness we blame the allure on evil. Though I am certain the woman are indeed aware of the effects of their wiles.

In Portugal the Bruxsa seems anyother woman, but at night she uses witchcraft to transform. She travels in the form of a bird seeking lost travellers. She turns then into a beautiful maiden and seduces her prey. The Bruxsa is capable of being impregnated, yet she feeds upon her children once she gives birth. She seems one of the immortals, there is no way to kill her.

The Dearg-due (literally red blood sucker) is a vampire that dates back to ancient Celtic lore. She also lures her prey in the form of a beautiful maiden. She does not rise nightly but, according to some legends once, three or four times a year. Like the Bruxsa there is no way to kill her, though a cairn of stones upon her grave will subdue her. The most famous of these creatures is said to buried near Strongbow's Tree in Waterford.

In India a woman who died while pregnant is the Churel. Usually death occured during an 'unclean' time such as the Dewali Festival.

Loogaroo, seemingly normal by day, even their husbands suspect nothing. Said to be in league with the devil they are required an offering of blood to the devil nightly to recieve magic abilities.Leaves her skin and turns into a flame by which they collect blood.

Pontaniak appears as a beautiful woman and carries the scent of frangipani. She turns into a hideous vampire in order to drain men, harm women and eats babies. She can be subdued by a nail driven into a hole in the base of the pontaniak's neck. When this is done she will become a beautiful woman until the nail is removed.

Langsuir appears a beautiful young woman only to possess her victim and, unlike other vampires, drain the blood from the inside. Becomes a vampire after the death of their child and their own eventual death. They are very vengeful and hideous in appearance. The are most often described as having red eyes, sharps claws, long hair , wearing white robe (most of the time), rotten face, and long fangs. ( One of the few with fangs)

Manananggal again a beautiful, yet older, woman who severs her upper body to fly, on bat wings, about in search of victims. She uses a straw-like tongue to suck the hearts of fetuses and blood of sleeping victims. Sprinking salt, ash, or garlic on her unoccupied torso will keep her from returning, leading to her death at dawn. Creates others by tricking a victim into drinking its blood or saliva.

Camazotz
01-16-2007, 12:09 AM
Wonderful information, thank you Savion!

MLE
08-09-2008, 09:30 PM
Just now getting around to this, very good read! Thanks for sharing Savion!

Savion
08-10-2008, 03:06 AM
Thank you. I was more than happy to contribute.

Camazotz
08-10-2008, 09:15 AM
Do you have more info at all? *always hungry for knowledge*

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10-17-2008, 03:05 PM
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Savion
10-21-2008, 04:30 PM
I have a lot more Cama. I fact I have a lot of lore that needs posting here. I will do so after I have slept some and am able to think. Right now, I could not think my way out of this chair.

Camazotz
10-21-2008, 11:14 PM
*smiles* Thank you, I shall definately look forward to that treat. In the meantime, it's been one of those days for me, so perhaps I shall draw up a chair as well (if you don't mind) and pour us a nice brandy or the like?

Savion
10-22-2008, 02:42 AM
*pulls a chair up so you may join me* Brandy and good company would be absolutely wonderful.

Savion
10-23-2008, 04:59 AM
A few random facts and literary references I thought appropriate.The majority of vampires in earliest lore were female. This is to explain such events as the death/stillbirth of a child, or a miscarriage. Pontaniak and Langsuir are example of this. The Langsuir is the result of the loss of a child.

Apollonius's student Menippus almost met his fate when set to marry a lamia. In 1797 Goethe gave us The Bride of Cornith and the alluring Philinnon. She died before she lost her virginity and returned to taste the carnal pleasures she had been deprived.

The female in earliest lore was most often a vile and disgusting creature, much like her male counterpart. She matured as he did and became something else with the minds of humanity. Coleridge gave us the first female in English literature, despite her nefarious past. Her name was Geraldine and her victim was the lovely Christabel. That said:

In Japan:

Hannya was a beautiful woman who was possessed by a demon and driven insane. She became a horrid creature who consumed children and drank blood.

Kyuketsuki can take the form of the cat. The can also be persuaded to feed on honey rather than blood.

Yasha - female vampire-bat. A woman could become a Yasha if she allowed anger to lower her status in rebirth.

Guaxa (Cantabrian Mountains of Northwestern Spain) preys upon children and young adults.

Mara - (Denmark) beautiful woman during the day, she sucked the blood of young men at night. Often the young men would fall in love with her and suffer feelings of suffocation and strangulation. She could be frightened away by a knife.

In the first post I mentioned the Bruxa of Portugal. During the Iquisition women were accused of being a Bruxa as an excuse for executing them.



Will be adding more soon.